Western Mass

As summer winds down, fairs and festivals are popping up all over Western Mass. Last weekend, hundreds came out for the 101st Heath Fair. This coming weekend marks the 150th Cummington Fair in Cummington, MA. The Fair was started in 1868 but was initiated in 1883 as the Hillside Agricultural Society. Today, the Cummington Fair remains true to its agricultural roots with events based around livestock and tractors, such as the livestock shows, horse draws, and antique engine and tractor shows.

But that’s not the only reason to go to the Cummington Fair. This year’s 4-day event will include a bike stunt show, fireworks, a craft barn, demolition derby and more. The stages will fill with live entertainers such as Zoe Darrow, Presley and Taylor, Jose Duddy, and others. Plus, there will be all sorts of vendors selling food, crafts, and other items. The Cummington Fair starts Thursday, August 23 and runs through Sunday, August 26. Purchase tickets online and get more information at cummingtonfair.com.

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The Heath Fair is one of the few country fairs still around that stays true to its agricultural roots. For over 100 years, it has offered events such as the ox draw, sheep shows, and various trade demonstrations to teach the community about agriculture in an engaging way. Every year the residents of Heath and visitors from surrounding towns look forward to this end of summer event. This year, the 101st Heath Fair will take place this weekend, Friday, August 17th to Sunday, August 19th.

It is truly incredible to see how a large event like this with a variety of activities comes together in such an organized way. It is because of the commitment of volunteers who run each of the events that the Heath Fair is so successful. This year’s lineup of events include the antique tractor pull, rabbit show, goat show, horse draw, truck pull, and sheep show. Bring the kids because there will be so much for them to do too like the zucchini races, wagon rides, demonstrations, and the parade!

Make sure you come hungry because there will be plenty to eat! Join the organized meals such as the Church Ladies Ham and Bean Supper on Friday, the Heath Firefighters Association BBQ on both Saturday and Sunday, or the Blueberry Pancake Breakfast on Sunday. There will also be a great group of vendors selling food, including Lucia’s Latin Kitchen, Kailash Kitchen, and of course Hager’s Farm Market’s fried dough and maple cream.

A country fair needs music and this year’s artist lineup is spectacular. On Friday night, check out Upstate Rubdown and then join in on the square dancing, led by Doug Wilkins. On Saturday, the music starts at 11 am with The Uncles of the Pioneers and continues through the day with The Green Sisters, Li’l BeeDee & The Doo-Rites, and The Whiskey Treaty Road Show. On Sunday, the Ageless Waves of Rhythm will kick off the day with their drumming, followed by the Shelburne Falls Military Band, and Banish Misfortune.

For the full schedule of events, visit heathfair.org. The Heath Fair is presented by the Heath Agricultural Society. Admission is only $8 or $6 for seniors and free for children 9 and under. See you at the Heath Fair!

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This Saturday, August 11, marks the 40th Bridge of Flowers Classic Races in Shelburne Falls. Mike McCusker started the races in 1978 and the 3K Walk/Run and 10K Run have been staple events in the village ever since. Each year thousands of runners come out to compete on one of the toughest courses in New England. The infamous Crittenden Hill makes this course both a challenging and rewarding experience. For the first time ever, the 10K Run has been changed to an 8K, but the 3K Walk/Run remains the same. Online registration for the race has closed but you can register in person at the Friday night Spaghettifest at Buckland Shelburne Elementary School or Saturday morning before the race.

The race supports five local charities and is made possible by many local sponsors and the Greater Shelburne Falls Area Business Association. Hundreds of volunteers contribute their time and effort to make the race safe and fun, by directing traffic, serving food, handing out water to the runners, and more. The race can always use more volunteers so if you want to help, go to shelburnefalls.com to find open volunteer positions.

If you’re not running or volunteering, you can still be a part of the action by cheering on the runners. The course is a figure 8 loop, starting and ending on the Iron Bridge, making it a very spectator-friendly race. The 3K starts at 8:15 am and the 8K starts at 9 am. After the race, head down Deerfield Avenue to the Glacial Potholes for the Post-Race Party and awards ceremony. Runners will also get free pizza courtesy of Pondside Pizza and a free beer from the Blue Rock if they are over 21. Plus, don’t forget to purchase a race shirt to remember this special event.

The weather is forecasted to be perfect for race morning so come out to the village of Shelburne Falls and participate in the 40th Annual Bridge of Flowers Classic Races. For more information, visit the race page here.

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This Saturday and Sunday, visit your local shops and take advantage of Massachusetts Tax Free Weekend. On August 11 and 12, the state’s 6.25% sales tax will be eliminated for all retail goods. Exceptions to this include meals, motor vehicles, motorboats, tobacco products, and any single item over $2,500. After two years without this holiday, Gov. Charlie Baker has decided to sign a bill that brings back this tax exemption.

With schools starting up again in less than a month and autumn just around the corner, this weekend is the perfect time to get your shopping done. Check out Wilson’s Department Store in Greenfield for name brand clothing, shoes, accessories, makeup, houseware, toys, and more. Also in Greenfield is The Outlet Store, which carries heavy-duty work clothes and boots from brands like Carhartt and Dickies.

If you’re looking for something new for your home, the Greenfield area has several furniture and antique stores. Andy’s and The Oak Shoppe in Greenfield offers quality-made finished and unfinished wood, pine, and oak furniture. You can also score some incredible antiques at Whitney Hill Antiques in Greenfield, Freight House Antiques in Erving, and Arts & Antiques on 5 & 10.

Enjoy saving that extra money you would’ve spent on sales tax and buy yourself that extra little thing you wanted. Happy local shopping!

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In December, I announced that I would be part of a new housing project in Greenfield, Green River Commons. This project consists of seven sustainable, affordable, net zero ready, ground-level townhouses. Now, I am excited to announce that I will be hosting the first ever open house for Green River Commons this Saturday, 12 to 2 pm. Wright Builders will be present as well, as we introduce these seven, beautiful, low-cost condominiums, located just steps from downtown Greenfield.

The homes are custom designed and built by Wright Builders, Inc. who is the area’s LEED and ENERGY STAR expert with over 40 years of green and high performance construction expertise. All homes are Net Zero ready for a buyer purchased photo voltaic system, giving the owner an opportunity to experience even lower monthly utility costs. Each home features an open concept design with sloping high ceilings in the living area, a state of the art heating and cooling mini split system, ENERGY STAR appliances, engineered pre-finished wood floors, triple glazed double hung windows and an outside patio and storage shed. Green River Commons is conveniently located just steps from the future bike path, transit center, restaurants, and performing arts center.

I look forward to giving you a tour this Saturday, June 30 between 12 and 2 pm! Green River Commons is located at 96-108 Deerfield Street, Greenfield, MA.

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The Pioneer Valley is a hub for the creative arts. It’s a place where many musicians, artists, performers, and creatives come to gain inspiration for their work and to find an artistic community where they can thrive. This is not only true for adults, but for children and teens as well. There are many opportunities in the Valley for kids to follow their artistic intuitions and to gain experience working as a team to create something wonderful. One opportunity in particular is right here in Franklin County, specifically in Charlemont. Since 2010, the Hilltown Youth Performing Arts Programs has been running their Hilltown Youth Theatre Summer Workshop. Their mission is to build a supportive community for youth to develop personally and artistically and to train and collaborate on theatrical productions at a high level, therefore giving them an appreciation for hilltown life and a passion for the arts.

This program, for youth aged 10-18 years old, is an intensive arts experience for aspiring actors, musicians, dancers, and set designers. Guest artists and master teachers, direct participants to create performances which incorporate movement, puppets, mask making, voice work, circus arts, and work on large apparatus such as stilts, aerial fabrics, spools, flying trapeze, and more. At the end of the workshop, the performance takes to the streets, or rather the mountains for audiences to enjoy. This year’s production of Avatar: The Last Airbender will be hosted by Berkshire East Mountain Resort in Charlemont.

The 2018 Summer Workshop runs from July 16 to August 8, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 4 pm. Registration is open now and financial assistance is available. No previous experience is necessary but the ideal candidates will be artists, musicians, athletes, or any other active creative types. For more information, visit their website here.

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This Saturday, June 9th, join me for a special open house for a spacious contemporary style home located on a dead end street in a desirable area of Northfield. The interior has a great floor plan with light filled rooms, beautiful maple floors, vaulted ceiling with skylight, and an attached 2 car garage. The first floor features a kitchen with attractive maple cabinets and breakfast bar; dining room; sitting/dining area that has sliding glass doors to the back deck; large living room; and a half bath. The second floor has a fabulous master suite with lots of closets and full bath and there is a bonus room with washer and dryer hookup that could be used as a large bedroom, exercise or family room. In addition there is a bedroom, full bath and another room that is perfect for office or playroom. This home has a full usable basement, 4 zone Buderus heating system, and the 1.15 acres has a great yard with plenty of room for gardens. This is a great location near the golf course and not far from the charming downtown.

The Open House is from 12 to 2 pm, Saturday, June 9th, at 25 Hidden Pond Lane, Northfield, MA 01360.

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As a lifelong resident of Franklin County, I always appreciate seeing older businesses that are still running strong. One in particular is the Northfield Drive-In, located on the Northfield, MA/Hinsdale, NH line. In August of 1948, the Northfield Drive-In began showing their “movies under the stars.” Now, they will celebrate 70 years of business with their opening for the 2018 season. This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, May 25th, 26th, and 27th, Northfield Drive-In will be showing Solo at 8:50 pm and Avengers: Infinity War at 10:50 pm.

This drive-in is 1 of only 20 drive-in theaters still in operation in New England, and the only one remaining of the 15 that the original owner, Carl Nilman, owned. Although the original screen was damaged by a hurricane in 1951, the second screen built kept the same dimensions and is still the one that exists today. In 1967, Northfield Drive-In changed ownership to the Shakour family, who still operate it today. They pride themselves in having a family-run business, where even the children would lend a hand at the snack stand and ticket booth on summer nights.

So take a drive out this weekend to the Northfield Drive-In and support this locally-owned gem. They are located in a beautiful scenic area and have a variety of delights at their snack bar. Plus, the rates are much lower than any indoor movie theater. Tickets are only $12 for adults and $7 for children (cash only). Visit their website for more information and to see what other films they will feature throughout the season.

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Franklin County is home to Shelburne Falls, a tiny village on the banks of the Deerfield River, composed of parts of the towns of Buckland and Shelburne. There, you can walk across the world famous Bridge of Flowers, an old trolley bridge turned garden. A wide variety of plants and flowers bloom there, planted and cared for by volunteers. Walking across the bridge is a magical experience, seeing all of the brilliant flowers and the views of the Deerfield River.

The Bridge of Flowers Committee, initiated by the Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club, manages and fundraises for the bridge. This Saturday, May 19, the Bridge of Flowers Committee will host their annual plant sale. From 9 am to noon, stop by the Village Green at the corner of Water and Main Streets in Shelburne Falls and browse the annuals and perennials for sale. There will also be other local vendors. All of the proceeds benefit the Bridge of Flowers. So come out and support this beautiful landmark of Shelburne Falls.

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Now that the weather is finally feeling like spring (and even summer!), I think all of us New Englanders are excited about warm summer days sitting outside enjoying some delicious food, especially BBQ. One of my personal favorite spots to eat homemade BBQ is at locally-owned Smoky Bro’s BBQ. Smoky Bro’s is now open for the season so you can head over there and enjoy their mouth-watering BBQ.

Try one of their wood-smoked meats such as pork spare ribs or chopped chicken accompanied with classic sides like mac-n-cheese or coleslaw. Order it as a sandwich or try a rack of ribs. All of their meat is slow-smoked with 100% apple wood, hickory, and oak - they never use gas or electric. Plus, whenever possible, they use local produce for their sides and sauces.

The owner, Brolin “Smoky Bro,” started the business in 2010. With the help of a friend, he designed and built his own massive, commercial-grade smoker. After getting married, him and his wife decided to open their own BBQ business and have been a hit ever since!

Smoky Bro’s BBQ is conveniently located on the Mohawk Trail in Shelburne. You can order from the counter and take it to go or sit at one of their picnic tables and enjoy the beautiful scenery while you eat. Smoky Bro’s BBQ is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and holiday Mondays from May through October.

Check out their website for the full menu and like them on Facebook to see updates throughout the summer.